MY EXPERIENCE WITH RUSSIAN APPLES. 107 



that time. Seeing- the destruction of my eastern varieties, as well as 

 seedlings, while the new Russians were entirely unharmed by the test 

 winter, I at once turned my attention to securing- cions of other 

 leading Russian varieties from parties who were growing them, 

 Prof. Budd, of Ames, Iowa, A. G. Tuttle, of Baraboo, Wis., and others. 

 I tested some two or three hundred varieties, placing them in rows 

 in the nursery. If the trees showed any liability to blight or other 

 weakness, I displaced them, reducing the number to about 125 

 varieties, which number, however, is much too large for general 

 cultivation. 



I have been planting in orchard from year to year since 1880 and 

 have grown fruit from more than fifty varieties, much of the fruit 

 produced comparing favorably with that of any of the best eastern 

 varieties in flavor, size and color. As for blight, the trees are no 

 more subject to it than are seedling trees grown in the same orchard. 



A few of the best or most prominent varieties now in bearing are 

 the following: Repka Malenka, Hibernal, Longfield, Volga Cross, 

 Roseport, Switzer, Zuzofif Winter, Good Peasant, White Russet and 

 Getman. These varieties would be my first choice at present, 

 although there may be many others of equal if not superior 

 excellence. 



Longfield is a very prolific bearer; color of fruit green, with red 

 flush on one side; medium size, and will keep with proper care till 

 December. The tree is superior in hardiness to Wealthy, more pro- 

 ductive than Duchess and bears annually. Repka Malenka is my 

 best winter variety. It blossoms fully ten days later than most 

 other varieties, and the fruit hangs on the tree till the middle of 

 October, a very important item. Fruit of fair quality, medium size, 

 keeps till March 1st, or even longer. Zuzofif Winter is a very large 

 apple, of fine flavor; tree appears to be perfectly hardy and a good 

 grower; an early winter variety. Hibernal, tree hardier than 

 Duchess; a good bearer, but a coarse quality of fruit, much like 

 Duchess; will keep until January. 



LOCATION OF ORCHARD. 



A DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Allen Gerrish: Mr. President — I came here to learn. I 

 intend to set one hundred or more apple trees this spring. The 

 location is a decided slope to the north-west, and the soil is a 

 sandy loam, something like thirty feet deep. I would like to 

 know the best three or four varieties of apples and crabs to 

 plant. I would like to get advice from men that grow apples 

 and not from men who have an ax to grind. 



Mr. Kellogg: Sell your place and buy clay. 



Pres. Underwood: Does it hold moisture pretty well? 



Mr. Gerrish: I have no trouble about that. Where I am 

 going to set those apple trees there were jack oaks. 



